Tenancy Advice

Members receive free advice on a range of matters with fee for service consultations and assistance available at a discounted rate for members.

• Are you renting a retail property?
• Is your lease causing you pain?
• Do you need some help or advice?

ARA’s Retail Tenancy services have provided expert advice for lease negotiations to members for 20 years.

Retailers must treat their lease agreements with a high priority. Failing to invest time and eff ort into a lease can have disastrous consequences. By missing a critical date to exercise your option, you may be out on the street and your goodwill given to a competitor.

For many retailers, occupancy costs in cases are higher than wages. Managing this expense and your lease agreement is critical for the ongoing success of your business. ARA’s Retail Tenancy team can offer members a wealth of knowledge and expertise in all areas of property, tenancy and negotiation for one of the most important documents for your business.

Don’t let your leasing and property matters become bogged down in an endless stream of counter-productive down time. Simply call 1300 Member Advice Assist (1300 368 041) or email for:

• Advice and instruction on how to negotiate effectively;
• Advice specifically on how to negotiate with lessors in relation to new sites, rental reviews and renewal of leases;
• What rent you should pay;
• Assistance with instructing solicitors in relation to critical clauses in leases;
• Assistance with the preparation of business plans; and
• Advice and assistance on specialised retail research.

Services available include:

• Rent reviews;
• Lease negotiations;
• Lease summaries;
• Trade Practices issues;
• Business analyses;
• Rent comparables;
• Rent determinations;
• Outgoing analyses;
• Compensation claims;
• Tenancy disputes; and
• Retail property due diligence.

For more information or advice please call 1300 368 041 or email tenancy@retail.org.au

Stephen Simpson – ARA Tenancy consultant

Steve Simpson is a Fellow of the Australian Property Institute (API), a Certified Practicing Valuer, API Accredited Specialist Retail Value Licensed Estate Agent and an Associate of the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.  He commenced his property career in 1973 and has specialised in retail property since 1977 when he joined GJ Coles & Coy Limited as a Real Estate Manager.  After 8.5 years with Coles, he subsequently held senior roles with Jones Lang Wootton and Byvan (retail property management and advisory). 

In February 1989, he formed the valuation and property consultancy practice of Simpson Corporate, a multi-disciplined retail property consultancy business which later merged with Nicoll Woods to become Simpson Nicoll Woods, a retail property advisory and valuation practice.  In May 2006, Stephen joined John Forsyth, a high profile commercial and retail valuer to form the independent retail and commercial valuation and advisory practice, Simpson Forsyth.

Over the last 34 years, Steve has been involved in or has undertaken many and varied retail property related assignments throughout Australia.  Steve has gained intimate knowledge of the retail market place and has an extensive and superior contact and data base in these areas.

Steve has been appointed determining valuer in over 110 market rent reviews with appointments being made by the Presidents of the Australian Property Institute and Real Estate Institute of Victoria, the Victorian Small Business Commissioner together with a significant number of private appointments.  Determinations undertaken by Steve have been for large retail premises along with specialty retail premises in the CBD of Melbourne and most major retail locations in Melbourne’s suburbs and regional Victoria.

Steve has also and primarily acted for tenants in a variety of market rent reviews involving all types of commercial property but with an emphasis on retail property.  In addition, Steve also has had broad experience in the CBD retail precincts of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane along with many shopping centres throughout Australia.

Other professional affiliations that Steve has involvement with include:

·          Part time lecturing in the property degree courses at RMIT, Melbourne and Deakin Universities.

·          The presentation of a variety of papers to various bodies including the Real Estate Institute of Victoria, the Australian Property Institute (API), Local Government conferences and the Australian Retailers Association.

·          Currently President of the Victorian Division of the Australian Property Institute and is the immediate past chair of its Training and Education Board.